Finding menopause care in Pakistan, the Gulf, the UK, the US and Europe

Menopause care is help from a doctor who knows perimenopause and menopause well enough to recognise the symptoms, explain the options and plan a review. It does not have to come from a specialist clinic. For most women it starts with a gynaecologist or a family doctor, and only some need a menopause specialist.

In Pakistan

The Pakistan Menopause Society's recommendations are frank about the gaps. They list the lack of dedicated menopause clinics among the key challenges, with an early age of menopause, widespread vitamin D deficiency, a high burden of osteoporosis, and stigma and taboos (section 4.1). They also note that limited availability and licensing of HRT and its alternatives shape what doctors can offer.

The same recommendations are written for gynaecologists and primary care doctors alike, so either is a reasonable first stop. They ask those doctors to identify menopause specialists they can refer complex cases to, and to refer when symptoms are severe or persistent, when HRT cannot be used, when the balance of risks is complex, when early menopause is suspected or when bleeding needs investigating (section 3.4). They also acknowledge cost, suggesting some tests according to age, risk and affordability (Table 4).

The European Menopause and Andropause Society (EMAS) says, in its 2026 framework for menopause care, that video or phone appointments may help women who find a clinic hard to reach because of distance, work or mobility, especially where specialists are scarce.

In the Gulf

We name no clinics in the Gulf states, and we found no public list of menopause doctors there. What we did find are two official registers in the UAE. The Dubai Health Authority's Dubai Medical Registry and the Department of Health Abu Dhabi's Find A Medical Professional search list the doctors licensed in each emirate. Both let you filter by speciality, such as obstetrics and gynaecology or family medicine, and by gender if you would rather see a woman doctor. A register shows that a doctor is licensed. It does not show whether the doctor knows menopause well, and that is what the questions on this page are for.

The Menopause Society's directory, described under the US below, can also be searched by country. When we searched it on 2 October 2026, it listed a few clinicians in the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain, and none in Qatar, Kuwait or Oman.

Elsewhere in the Gulf, we found no public list from a health authority or a menopause society that we could check. A gynaecologist or a family physician is a reasonable place to start.

In the UK

If you live in the UK, menopause care on the NHS explains the route through your GP and the British Menopause Society's register of specialists.

In the US

The Menopause Society, formerly the North American Menopause Society, runs a free directory called Find a Menopause Practitioner. It lists members and Menopause Society Certified Practitioners (MSCP) who have asked to be included and are taking new patients. You can search by ZIP code, by state for telehealth, or by country. The Society says the list is not complete and that it does not endorse anyone on it.

The 'Pause Life, Dr Mary Claire Haver's company, keeps a Clinicians List built from women's recommendations. Each entry carries a short note from the woman who suggested that clinician, and the list can be searched by country, state and speciality. The site says the list is not a recommendation from Dr Haver or The 'Pause Life.

In Europe

Across Europe, we found two public lists that anyone can use for free.

In Ireland, the HSE, the public health service, names its six specialist complex menopause clinics: the National Maternity Hospital, the Rotunda Hospital, the Coombe Hospital, Cork University Maternity Hospital, University Hospital Galway and the Women's Health Hub at Nenagh General Hospital. Your GP makes the referral, and the HSE says these clinics are for complex cases, for example when treatment has not helped or HRT is not possible.

In the Netherlands, the VVOC, the association of menopause consultants (overgangsconsulenten), has a map of its consultants, in Dutch. The VVOC says its consultants are on the BIG register, the Dutch register of health professionals, and have taken a course recognised by the gynaecologists of the Dutch Menopause Society. Some offer appointments online.

We found no free public list from the menopause societies of Germany, France, Spain or Italy, or from any in the Nordic countries. Anywhere in Europe, a gynaecologist or a family doctor is a reasonable place to start.

What good care looks like, anywhere

You cannot always choose your doctor, but you can recognise good care. The PMS recommendations describe it: open questions, then a checklist that covers every group of symptoms, including the private ones; attention to how symptoms affect sleep, work, family and prayer; risks and benefits explained; and decisions made with you. NICE NG23 asks for a review three months after starting treatment, then once a year (1.9.2). It describes a professional with expertise in menopause as someone with specialist training recognised by a professional body, able to manage complex cases.

Roshara's resources page lists organisations and directories we have checked. We link to the lists on this page to help you look, not to endorse anyone on them, and we cannot vouch for what they say. A list of named doctors across Pakistan and the Gulf is something we are working towards, and we will not publish one until each name has been checked.

Do not wait to find the perfect doctor before getting help. Any doctor can start the conversation and check for anything that needs ruling out. The PMS recommendations list red flags that need checking or referral wherever you live: bleeding after menopause, bleeding after sex, a breast lump, chest pain, sudden breathlessness and thoughts of suicide among them (section 2.3).

Many women prefer a woman doctor, and in some places that narrows the choice further. You can ask whether a female doctor is available when you book, which saves an awkward moment later. If the nearest good clinic is in another city, it may take a family conversation about travel and cost. Preparing for your appointment helps make a long journey count.